I really want to know. Honestly, I don't blame Canada for being mad at the US's ignorance of them, and the world in general for that matter. I complain about that, and I'm from California.
But I realize another thing: the US is Canada's only major neighbour, and from all the Canadian media articles and reports I've come across, it seems that Canada gets pretty caught up in its seemingly one-sided relationship with the United States.
I wonder how many Canadians realize that the US has another neighbour to its south - and a MUCH LOUDER neighbour at that!!!! I liken it this way:
if the US is Canada's big brother that scarcely pays attention to it, Mexico is the other little brother that constantly shouts at the US for even more attention - enough to drown out Canada.
There's been estimated to be less than 1,000 law enforcement officials (BOTH CANADIAN AND US) at the Canada/USA border along almost 9000 km of it. On the other hand, there are over 7,000 border security personnel along the 3,200 km border with Mexico (7,000 US AGENTS).
Let me further compare the two borders:
CANADA:
- if I'm not mistaken, the current population is about 33 million
- estimates that I've read say that there are only about 200,000 illegal aliens in Canada
- I understand that many drugs have entered the US from Canada and many illegal firearms have entered Canada from the US; also a lot of human trafficking
when I read all that, it seems like nothing to me! why?
MEXICO:
- there are over 45 MILLION Hispanics in the United States (more than the 33 million Canadians/immigrants or even the 37 MILLION BLACK AMERICANS) - and about 2/3 of these are Mexican
- in addition, there are an estimated 12 million illegal aliens in the United States - again, of which 2/3 are Mexican
* that would mean about 37 to 39 million Mexican in the US, right? more than the number of Canadians
- CRAZY HUMAN TRAFFICKING, Mexicans have been known to pay thousands of dollars to be smuggled in
- for every person that gets apprehended for illegally jumping the border, hundreds more make it across
- AND LET'S NOT GET STARTED ON HOW MUCH DRUGS COMES IN..... many underground drug tunnels have been discovered at border points....
Furthermore, whether they enter legally or illegally, Mexicans in the United States have a much higher birthrate than white or black Americans. This obviously affects the demographics.
Hence, I deal with Mexicans FAR MORE THAN I DEAL WITH CANADIANS. Working in the public school system, I would deal with entire classrooms where everyone is Mexican. On the other hand, I have met a few Canadians here and there, but THEY DO NOT STICK OUT! They are just as culturally diverse as anyone else in the US. They represent different regions of Canada and different ethnicities - I have no way of telling them apart until they tell me that they're from Canada. In fact, I can tell someone from Texas FAR MORE EASILY than I can someone from Canada.
Sure, I pay attention to Canada from time to time. I have relatives there. But I find that Mexico is FAR more relevant to my everyday life than Canada is. I recognize that Canada is the US's largest trading partner, but all the other things that go on at the Mexican border are still louder.
And then there's Cuba, which pours out hundreds of refugees each day on Florida's shores. There's another country that has a louder voice to the US than does Canada.
Canadians who speak just as many languages and practice as many religions as their American neighbours number less than 1 million in the US. Meanwhile, Cubans number 1.5 million and Mexicans, well, let's not go there.
Basically, for the US to pay more attention to Canada, Canada would have to be as loud as the US's other neighbours, as well as compared to other military/economic/political powers in Europe and Asia.
I hope this gave some people to think about. Because I notice that in Canada, the US is always in the news but Mexico rarely is. In the US, Canada is rarely in the news, but Mexico appears more frequently.
But I realize another thing: the US is Canada's only major neighbour, and from all the Canadian media articles and reports I've come across, it seems that Canada gets pretty caught up in its seemingly one-sided relationship with the United States.
I wonder how many Canadians realize that the US has another neighbour to its south - and a MUCH LOUDER neighbour at that!!!! I liken it this way:
if the US is Canada's big brother that scarcely pays attention to it, Mexico is the other little brother that constantly shouts at the US for even more attention - enough to drown out Canada.
There's been estimated to be less than 1,000 law enforcement officials (BOTH CANADIAN AND US) at the Canada/USA border along almost 9000 km of it. On the other hand, there are over 7,000 border security personnel along the 3,200 km border with Mexico (7,000 US AGENTS).
Let me further compare the two borders:
CANADA:
- if I'm not mistaken, the current population is about 33 million
- estimates that I've read say that there are only about 200,000 illegal aliens in Canada
- I understand that many drugs have entered the US from Canada and many illegal firearms have entered Canada from the US; also a lot of human trafficking
when I read all that, it seems like nothing to me! why?
MEXICO:
- there are over 45 MILLION Hispanics in the United States (more than the 33 million Canadians/immigrants or even the 37 MILLION BLACK AMERICANS) - and about 2/3 of these are Mexican
- in addition, there are an estimated 12 million illegal aliens in the United States - again, of which 2/3 are Mexican
* that would mean about 37 to 39 million Mexican in the US, right? more than the number of Canadians
- CRAZY HUMAN TRAFFICKING, Mexicans have been known to pay thousands of dollars to be smuggled in
- for every person that gets apprehended for illegally jumping the border, hundreds more make it across
- AND LET'S NOT GET STARTED ON HOW MUCH DRUGS COMES IN..... many underground drug tunnels have been discovered at border points....
Furthermore, whether they enter legally or illegally, Mexicans in the United States have a much higher birthrate than white or black Americans. This obviously affects the demographics.
Hence, I deal with Mexicans FAR MORE THAN I DEAL WITH CANADIANS. Working in the public school system, I would deal with entire classrooms where everyone is Mexican. On the other hand, I have met a few Canadians here and there, but THEY DO NOT STICK OUT! They are just as culturally diverse as anyone else in the US. They represent different regions of Canada and different ethnicities - I have no way of telling them apart until they tell me that they're from Canada. In fact, I can tell someone from Texas FAR MORE EASILY than I can someone from Canada.
Sure, I pay attention to Canada from time to time. I have relatives there. But I find that Mexico is FAR more relevant to my everyday life than Canada is. I recognize that Canada is the US's largest trading partner, but all the other things that go on at the Mexican border are still louder.
And then there's Cuba, which pours out hundreds of refugees each day on Florida's shores. There's another country that has a louder voice to the US than does Canada.
Canadians who speak just as many languages and practice as many religions as their American neighbours number less than 1 million in the US. Meanwhile, Cubans number 1.5 million and Mexicans, well, let's not go there.
Basically, for the US to pay more attention to Canada, Canada would have to be as loud as the US's other neighbours, as well as compared to other military/economic/political powers in Europe and Asia.
I hope this gave some people to think about. Because I notice that in Canada, the US is always in the news but Mexico rarely is. In the US, Canada is rarely in the news, but Mexico appears more frequently.
